Bartlett Bridge
No. 50
Built in 1850 by John H. Leavitt, the Bartlett Covered Bridge spans the Saco River in Bartlett. The 166-foot Paddleford truss with arches is one of twenty-two Paddleford covered bridges remaining in New England. The bridge carried traffic until it was bypassed by a new steel and concrete bridge in 1939.
After years of neglect, it was purchased for $1 by local seamstress Isabelle Casinelli, who hired Milton S. Graton of Graton Associates, Inc. to repair the structure and build a gift shop inside. Bobcat Welding completed additional structural repairs in 1990. The bridge remains privately owned and is home to the Covered Bridge Shoppe.
Bartlett Bridge Photo Album
Paddleford Truss Article
Paddleford Truss Podcast
The Paddleford Truss with Bob Durfee
Kim interviews engineer Bob Durfee of DuBois & King about bridgewright Peter Paddleford and his unique truss design. Learn why even though it was never patented, the Paddleford truss dominated covered bridge construction in northern New England for many years. Today there are only 22 Paddleford covered bridges left in New England.
